The Dallas Stars had a great season, but ultimately fell short again, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. Now, they are refocused on making deals with their current crop of players and attempting to finally overthrow the Oilers in the West. The Stars got off to a good start this offseason, extending Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18-million contract extension. That keeps the popular second-line center in Dallas for the foreseeable future.

Duchene gets the stability he wants and a chance to help the Stars try to return to the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2020. For Duchene, he gets to stay in one place and continue to forge the relationships he has made. He has somehow been on six teams throughout his 10-year career. Duchene gets the chance to be slightly more comfortable for the next couple seasons.

Duchene is ready to return to Dallas and help them achieve their goal of winning another Stanley Cup. Despite the struggle, he will be right there on the second line helping them fight. Did each side get a fair share of the deal? Read on to find out.

Why the Stars gave Matt Duchene a contract extension

The Stars saw how valuable Duchene was during the regular season, notching 30 goals and 52 assists in 82 contests. Not only did he average a point per game, but he stayed healthy for every contest. While Duchene struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it did not change the way Dallas felt about their star center.

The Stars extended Duchene at $4.5 million per season, which is a bargain for a top-six center who just scored 82 points. Additionally, this gives Dallas some stability as they were able to keep him under the $5 million cap. Yes, there is a slight chance Duchene could drop off, especially considering he is 34 years old. But even if he maintains .7 points per game, he would still have a minimum of 57 points, which is great for $4.5 million per season.

There is some concern, as noted before, about the drop-off during the postseason. Ultimately, the Stars are banking on Duchene's stats being somewhere closer to what he achieved during the regular season. Duchene will likely continue to play on the second line. However, there are questions about who will play with him.

With Jamie Benn possibly leaving, Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin will likely be his linemates. Specifically, Marchment is a goal scorer, having tallied 22 last season, and having Duchene back will only help. The Stars also plan to deploy Duchene on the first power play once again.

There are some risks for the Stars. They don't have much salary cap space left to work with. However, the fact that they kept Duchene's contract under $5 million makes this a small win. They believe there will be a strong return on investment in the regular season, and it will be cost-effective for a strong contributor.

Stars grade: B+

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Why did Matt Duchene stay with the Stars?

Duchene wanted to stay somewhere for longer than one or two seasons. After playing with six teams in 10 years, it's no wonder he wanted some stability.

For personal context, Duchene revitalized his career in Dallas after seeming lost in Nashville. Additionally, he has fully embraced Dallas's system, digging in and potentially being in it for the long haul. Duchene also gained some stability and wanted to keep his family in one place. The long-term contract helps him do that, and he no longer has to worry about it lingering in the background.

It also doesn't hurt that the Stars are consistently contenders. If it were not for Stuart Skinner getting hot in the Western Final, the Stars might have finally passed the Oilers. Despite yet another loss to the Oilers, oddsmakers still believe the Stars can make it back, and possibly get to the Stanley Cup. Despite firing Pete DeBoer, the Stars are still one of the top favorites to win the Stanley Cup. That is a great incentive for a player who has never appeared in one.

Duchene has redeemed himself after a few seasons that were often plagued by injury. Despite his age, he seems to have renewed life, and the Stars are providing him with everything he could possibly want. It is the perfect storm, and the perfect situation for a hockey player at this stage in his career. Duchene wanted that long-term contract for stability, and he finally got it from the Stars.

Now, he gets a chance to continue helping the Stars in their quest to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1999.

Matt Duchene grade: A-